I saw an interview with a well-known actress a few weeks ago.
Since the Fourth of July had come and gone, she knew summer would
be coming to an end.
I saw an interview with a well-known actress a few weeks ago. Since the Fourth of July had come and gone, she knew summer would be coming to an end. For others, the start of “back to school sales” or the family vacation conjures the same feeling of summer’s end. I feel like the end of summer looms on the horizon when our local peach season starts. The only remedy for this feeling of melancholy is a hot and bubbly peach from the grill.
Locally grown peaches are usually available from the beginning of July all the way through the end of August. The season is long since many farmers take advantage of a wide array of varieties. Different varieties ripen at different times, thereby extending the peach season.
The best peaches can be found at farmers markets and local farm stands. Many local producers allow the fruit to ripen on the tree. This is what gives peaches their distinct flavor, sweetness and smell. The peaches that are available at many grocery stores have not gone through this process.
Peaches are very delicate when they have been ripened on the tree. For distributing purposes and shelf life at the supermarket, peaches are picked before they have had the chance to develop their full flavor and sugar.
I have always been fortunate to have such wonderful fruit available to me. However, this was not the case for my friend, Marie, when she was living in Maryland. No matter where she went or what she did to obtain peaches, she was always disappointed. Marie missed the peaches that were available in California. The peaches available in Maryland were much smaller, harder, lacking in flavor and very pricey. That was in comparison to California grown peaches in California’s supermarkets! She missed and longed for a summer in California when she could have one of her favorite fruits the way that they were meant to be. Fortunately, she moved back to California a few years ago and is once again enjoying local peaches.
My family has always enjoyed peach cobbler, peach pie and my favorite, peach crisp. Those are all products made in the oven, so the idea of grilling peaches did seem a little strange at first. We actually “borrowed” the idea from a chef we watched on television. He grilled the peaches on each side and served them just like that. No sugar or any additional flavors added.
A warm peach without any texture or complexity of flavor seemed a little strange to us, so we began to experiment.
The savory version with bottled Italian salad dressing marinade was an absolute disaster in my opinion. Closing the lid of the grill made the smoke of the grill circulate around the peaches.
Smokey peaches were not good either. A little bit too much butter and the result was butter dripping off of the peaches and creating smoke. Once again, a smoky peach was not very good.
We continued onward. Our inspiration was for a dessert version of grilled peaches. A little bit of brown sugar and a touch of butter and vanilla made all the difference. It is also important that tree ripened peaches are used. They will be a little bit softer and will yield better grilling results.
I still missed my peach crisp. I decided to challenge myself to create a grilled peach crisp recipe a year ago when I first auditioned for this column. I did a little research. I already knew many peach crisp recipes have an oatmeal base with the addition of flour, butter and sugar. Peaches on the grill would cook much quicker than in the oven. I could not use the oatmeal and flour components. The oven is better for cooking these two items. The oatmeal and flour would remain raw on a grill with an open lid. The answer was obvious: use a processed oatmeal product. Crispy oatmeal cookies or Life Cereal were the perfect products to use. They worked out great! It was the perfect trick for enjoying a peach crisp from the grill. Grilled peach crisp became a wonderful adaptation of a classic recipe.
The next time you grill, consider doing a little multitask grilling and add a dessert. Grilled peaches are a healthier alternative to heavier desserts that may have an extreme amount of processed sugar. Alternatively, nectarines or plums may be substituted.
Take advantage of ripe peaches now. Much like summer, peach season will just be a memory in a matter of weeks.
Simple Grilled Peaches
From Mariani Family
Serves 4
4 tree-ripened peaches, washed, halved and pit removed
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoons melted butter
A few drops of pure vanilla extract
Slight pinch of salt
Step 1: Mix the brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla and salt in a small bowl until all ingredients are well incorporated.
Step 2: Over a freshly cleaned grill, lay the peach halves cut side down over direct medium heat. Grill until they begin to soften. This will take 6 to 10 minutes depending upon the size of the peach. Do not close the lid of the grill.
Step 3: Turn the peaches, skin side down and cut side up. Distribute 1/4 of the brown sugar mixture over each half. Continue grilling for an additional 6-10 minutes. When the juice begins to bubble from the edges of the skin, the peaches are done.
Grilled Peach Crisp
From Mitch Mariani
Serves 4
4 tree-ripened peaches, washed, halved and pit removed
1/2 cup crushed Life cereal or crisp oatmeal cookies
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter
Vanilla ice cream (optional)
Step 1: Mix the Life cereal or cookie crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter until they are well incorporated.
Step 2: Over a freshly cleaned grill, lay the peach halves cut side down over direct medium heat. Grill until they begin to soften. This will take 6 to 10 minutes depending upon the size of the peach. Do not close the lid of the grill.
Step 3: Turn the peaches, skin side down and cut side up. Distribute 1/4 of the crumb mixture over each half. Continue grilling for an additional 6-10 minutes. When the juice begins to bubble from the edges of the skin, the peaches are done.
Step 4: As an option, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
